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fkshg8465's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a fun book, with a huge and diverse cast of characters. I didn’t even mind the storytelling inside the storytelling format (usually highly annoyed by that), but that was because it was minimal and not as distracting as usual. Great book for all ages. Reminds me a bit of The Princess Bride - full of adventure and driven by the love for one person, plus the salvation of an entire species!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcohol, War, and Classism
tabea1409's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Genocide, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
fanboyriot's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
♡ At Sea Battles
♡ Pirate Romance
♡ An Ultimate Pirate Adventure
This was filled with adventure, leaving no room for a dull moment. The cover of this book fit the vibe so well.
I had a lot of fun reading this, even if high fantasy isn’t typically my genre; this was so lovely. The attention to details, the world building, and of course, the plot were all so entertaining.
I really enjoyed how the author wrote adult characters who seemed realistic. Like the main character dealing with chronic pain for example, being a single parent and worrying about her daughter’s wellbeing, and having a past that left her untrusting of most people.
Spice Level: 🌶️ (1/5)
Angst Level: 💧 (1/5)
POV: First Person
Release Date: 28, February 2023
Rep: BIPOC (Main and Side Characters), Trans (Side Character), LGBTQIA+ (Side Characters)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Torture, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Dysphoria
quiet_reader's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Death, Violence, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Deadnaming, Sexism, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
renpuspita's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
EASILY ONE OF MY TOP READS FOR 2024
I can write so many things why I have a blast while reading The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, beside I REALLY LOVE The Daevabad Trilogy. But, one thing that I want to highlight is discussion about faith. It's rare to read a Muslim character in fantasy novel. It's also rarer to read a pirate Muslim woman. While Amina is a Islam practitioner from the moment she was born, she is what I called in my Indonesian slang, Islam KTP, lol. See, in her pirates era, Amina drunk alcohols, kill many people, steals, flirting with men, etc etc. I will not shocked if she eat pork, hahaha. So, when she finally retire, she try to atone for her sins. She doing her sholat, dzikir and much more, although still somehow fall into her past misdeeds. Like, maybe stealing one or two or appreciate men's physique (at last, Amina is a honest woman!). Nah, I will not condemn her so. I find Amina's faith fascinating because...it's resonated with me. I'm right now in my lowest state regarding my Islamic faith, and there's a reason behind that. Nope, I'm not drink wine or alcohol and eating pork, or stealing so my sins maybe not that big like Amina was, but who am I to judge myself since I rarely doing my sholat, rarely pray to Allah and maybe many other sins that maybe will make me go through the far deepest pit of hellfire? I think maybe that's why I love this book because how Chakraborty write about Amina and her faith, how Amina is still a human, prone to sins and to mistake, but still try to atone and searching redemption!
Compared to Daevabad Trilogy, Amina al-Sirafi is lighter in tone. Daevabad is full of political intrigue and secrets regarding the daeva and their mythology. Amina al-Sirafi is about adventure! A swashbuckling story that left me breathless and pouring over the pages, impatiently want to know what will happen with Amina and her merry band of crews of Marawati ships. This book also heavy in found family troupe and all of the characters are in their 40-ish, including Amina. I think this book also have a same premise with the Bone Maker, in which the main character that already in their 40-50-ish become hermit and estranged from their friends. But I can assure that the execution is different. I enjoyed both The Bone Maker and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.
If you have read Daevabad, then you know that Chakraborty did a vast and massive research while writing her books. In this book, Chakraborty also provide her source regarding the pirates world especially in 12th century. While the book is fictional, some of the elements can be traced to its origins. I like the myth behind the Moon of the Saba and snickered when knowing the real explanation behind the artifact. Reading this book is never a dull moment! The story told entirely from Amina's first PoV in a form of her telling her story (and pursuits) to a young scribe named Jamal al-Hilli. So, basically some part can be tongue-in-cheek to read. I'm not kidding when said that the book's tone is light although there's some life and death moments, problems just keep coming for Amina and her crews and also Amina try to keep her daughter, Marjana, safe from harm.
The found family trope is well wonder and I like that Amina and her crews reunited and they are also eager for any chance of adventure. Amina's crews also diverse, from Dalila, a Christian woman famed with her poisons and hail from Banu Sasan. Amina's first mate, a gay Hindu man named Tinbu that managed to keep Marawati in a good shape and almost got hanged because of brigand crime but saved by Amina and Dalila. There's Majed, a navigator that already in his third hajji, a big brother figure to Amina and while he already have family, his longing to make a map of world is stronger so he decide to go with Amina in retrieving the kidnapped granddaughter of wealthy woman in Aden who also threatened Amina if Amina can't bring the said granddaughter back. Do I forgot to said that Amina also have four husband?? Not in the same time, mind you, but the fourth husband, Raksh is an actual demon that want to make Amina as a legend, but also cunning. He's also father of Marjana, but Amina still keep that fact to herself so I wondering how long Raksh will keep in the dark regarding Marjana and what is his reaction if he knew he's a father. I also still wondering, what is exactly Raksh. He's not a marid for sure, and also not a peri. If he's an ifrit, since he said he's a being of discord, I remember that ifrit is nastier while Raksh feel like...a himbo, lel. He's also still married to Amina although Amina left him in the chest 10 years prior to the story, and still married in the end of the book. So yeah, curious about them, although I assure there's no romance. The love aspect is more like Amina's mother love for Marjana and I think she has none for Raskh since that demon also responsible for her late crew's death.
I can go on and on about The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi but know this that I really love this book and will recommend it if you searching for a fantasy with adventure, treasure hunting, found family trope, mysterious artifact, treacherous creatures and interesting thought regarding religion and faith.
I can write so many things why I have a blast while reading The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi, beside I REALLY LOVE The Daevabad Trilogy. But, one thing that I want to highlight is discussion about faith. It's rare to read a Muslim character in fantasy novel. It's also rarer to read a pirate Muslim woman. While Amina is a Islam practitioner from the moment she was born, she is what I called in my Indonesian slang, Islam KTP, lol. See, in her pirates era, Amina drunk alcohols, kill many people, steals, flirting with men, etc etc. I will not shocked if she eat pork, hahaha. So, when she finally retire, she try to atone for her sins. She doing her sholat, dzikir and much more, although still somehow fall into her past misdeeds. Like, maybe stealing one or two or appreciate men's physique (at last, Amina is a honest woman!). Nah, I will not condemn her so. I find Amina's faith fascinating because...it's resonated with me. I'm right now in my lowest state regarding my Islamic faith, and there's a reason behind that. Nope, I'm not drink wine or alcohol and eating pork, or stealing so my sins maybe not that big like Amina was, but who am I to judge myself since I rarely doing my sholat, rarely pray to Allah and maybe many other sins that maybe will make me go through the far deepest pit of hellfire? I think maybe that's why I love this book because how Chakraborty write about Amina and her faith, how Amina is still a human, prone to sins and to mistake, but still try to atone and searching redemption!
Compared to Daevabad Trilogy, Amina al-Sirafi is lighter in tone. Daevabad is full of political intrigue and secrets regarding the daeva and their mythology. Amina al-Sirafi is about adventure! A swashbuckling story that left me breathless and pouring over the pages, impatiently want to know what will happen with Amina and her merry band of crews of Marawati ships. This book also heavy in found family troupe and all of the characters are in their 40-ish, including Amina. I think this book also have a same premise with the Bone Maker, in which the main character that already in their 40-50-ish become hermit and estranged from their friends. But I can assure that the execution is different. I enjoyed both The Bone Maker and The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi.
If you have read Daevabad, then you know that Chakraborty did a vast and massive research while writing her books. In this book, Chakraborty also provide her source regarding the pirates world especially in 12th century. While the book is fictional, some of the elements can be traced to its origins. I like the myth behind the Moon of the Saba and snickered when knowing the real explanation behind the artifact. Reading this book is never a dull moment! The story told entirely from Amina's first PoV in a form of her telling her story (and pursuits) to a young scribe named Jamal al-Hilli. So, basically some part can be tongue-in-cheek to read. I'm not kidding when said that the book's tone is light although there's some life and death moments, problems just keep coming for Amina and her crews and also Amina try to keep her daughter, Marjana, safe from harm.
The found family trope is well wonder and I like that Amina and her crews reunited and they are also eager for any chance of adventure. Amina's crews also diverse, from Dalila, a Christian woman famed with her poisons and hail from Banu Sasan. Amina's first mate, a gay Hindu man named Tinbu that managed to keep Marawati in a good shape and almost got hanged because of brigand crime but saved by Amina and Dalila. There's Majed, a navigator that already in his third hajji, a big brother figure to Amina and while he already have family, his longing to make a map of world is stronger so he decide to go with Amina in retrieving the kidnapped granddaughter of wealthy woman in Aden who also threatened Amina if Amina can't bring the said granddaughter back. Do I forgot to said that Amina also have four husband?? Not in the same time, mind you, but the fourth husband, Raksh is an actual demon that want to make Amina as a legend, but also cunning. He's also father of Marjana, but Amina still keep that fact to herself so I wondering how long Raksh will keep in the dark regarding Marjana and what is his reaction if he knew he's a father. I also still wondering, what is exactly Raksh. He's not a marid for sure, and also not a peri. If he's an ifrit, since he said he's a being of discord, I remember that ifrit is nastier while Raksh feel like...a himbo, lel. He's also still married to Amina although Amina left him in the chest 10 years prior to the story, and still married in the end of the book. So yeah, curious about them, although I assure there's no romance. The love aspect is more like Amina's mother love for Marjana and I think she has none for Raskh since that demon also responsible for her late crew's death.
I can go on and on about The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi but know this that I really love this book and will recommend it if you searching for a fantasy with adventure, treasure hunting, found family trope, mysterious artifact, treacherous creatures and interesting thought regarding religion and faith.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Slavery, and War
epellicci's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I have so many things to say about this book. The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi is such an incredible, beautiful story. I was instantly drawn in by the romance of the writing. Amina is a sailor, and her love for the sea, the sky, and her people leapt from the page through her language.
Funny, bursting with family ties, and relentlessly action packed, the book begins with a somewhat reluctant exit from retirement. Amina is forced to get the band back together when the mother of an old crew-mate finds her, desperately in need of her legendary reputation. One last score is always too good to be true though, and what started as a fairly straightforward rescue mission soon turns sinister. Before long, she and her loved ones are wrapped up in supernatural myth, blood magic, and higher stakes than they could have ever imagined. The Adventures... is a gripping mystery, thoughtful examination of morality, and highly entertaining sea adventure all rolled into one. Shannon Chakraborty is a fantastic storyteller, and her decision to tell the story through the perspective of Jamal the scribe, writing with Amina's blessing felt both authentic and gave the tale great grandiosity. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time to come, and can't wait to get my hands on book 2.
Funny, bursting with family ties, and relentlessly action packed, the book begins with a somewhat reluctant exit from retirement. Amina is forced to get the band back together when the mother of an old crew-mate finds her, desperately in need of her legendary reputation. One last score is always too good to be true though, and what started as a fairly straightforward rescue mission soon turns sinister. Before long, she and her loved ones are wrapped up in supernatural myth, blood magic, and higher stakes than they could have ever imagined. The Adventures... is a gripping mystery, thoughtful examination of morality, and highly entertaining sea adventure all rolled into one. Shannon Chakraborty is a fantastic storyteller, and her decision to tell the story through the perspective of Jamal the scribe, writing with Amina's blessing felt both authentic and gave the tale great grandiosity. I will be thinking about these characters for a long time to come, and can't wait to get my hands on book 2.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual violence, and War
_rowantree_'s review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
There is so much I loved about this book and I may come back to write a proper review once I have digested it a bit more (/bought my own copy to cherish and reread multiple times). I borrowed this as an audiobook from the library and thought the voice actors were incredible, I would highly recommend. I also think this would make an amazing basis for a series and hope it gets a tv adaptation from someone who loves it as much as I did
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: War
Minor: Alcoholism, Slavery, Transphobia, and Islamophobia
imds's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
h4ppycupcake's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The beginning of the book was very very slow. I thought about DNFing about a million times, but at about 60% the book got very good and stayed good all the way to the end. I’m glad I finished it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Injury/Injury detail
bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was a delight to read. I enjoy reading mythology and legends from cultures other than my own, and this story provided all of that and more. the characters felt so well defined and detailed. the writers voice in this story was so distinct and powerful. it really felt like being in Amina’s head in her travels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, War, and Classism
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Rape, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria